Federal University of ABC Region – UFABC

Public Policy Graduate Program - PGPP

State and Democracy

03.2025 

Prof. Pereira, Luciana - luciana.pereira@ufabc.edu.br

Prof. Zimerman, Artur -  artur@ufabc.edu.br

Syllabus:

Theories and Origins of the State. Foundations and Typologies of Democracy. State Capacity, Institutions, and Bureaucracy. Democratization: Transitions and Consolidation. State, Legitimacy, and Political Order. Democratic Quality, Participation, and Performance. The State and the Global Economy. Crisis and Erosion of Democracies. Rethinking the State: Governance, Networks, and Transformation. The Universal Value of Democracy and Religion(s). Intertwined Considerations: The State and Democracy. 

I) Assessment:

1. Participation (4 points)

- In the first meeting, the topics will be divided among the students, who will lead the discussions in the second part of the class. Each student will choose a few topics. They must prepare in advance the discussions for the rest of the class, which will be graded accordingly. Be responsible for presenting and leading the in-class discussion.

- Active participation in in-class discussions.

- Attendance.

2. Final exam (last meeting) or Final Paper/Article (6 points)

3. Converting Points to Grades

A = 8.5 – 10; B = 7 – 8.4; C = 5.4 – 6.9; D = 5 – 5.3; F < 5

II) Main Aims:

The State and Public Policy: Power, Institutions, and Transformation

·       Examine the historical and theoretical foundations of the modern state;

·       Analyze the state’s role in shaping, implementing, and evaluating public policy;

·       Discuss competing models and typologies of statehood, sovereignty, and capacity;

·       Explore the interactions between state institutions, political regimes, and social actors;

·       Engage critically with state reform, state failure, and state-building efforts, especially in the Global South.

Democracy and Public Policy: Theories, Challenges, and Prospects

·       Understand the historical and theoretical foundations of democracy;

·       Analyze key approaches to democratic regimes and their transformations;

·       Reflect on contemporary challenges to democracy and their implications for public policy;

·       Evaluate the role of civic participation, religion(s), political institutions, and legitimacy;

·       Connect democratic theory with practical experiences, especially (but not exclusively) in the Global South.

***The professors may, at any time, according to their own perception, change items and rules of this discipline program.